Navi Mumbai, Jan 17 (IANS) UP Warriorz captain Meg Lanning hailed her side’s planning, execution and growing confidence after they registered their second consecutive victory in the Women’s Premier League, handing Mumbai Indians their second straight defeat. Lanning, who was named Player of the Match, said the win was a significant morale booster after a difficult start to the season.

Reflecting on the turnaround, Lanning said the Warriorz had remained positive despite losing their first three matches of the campaign. "It was a nice bounce-back for us. Losing the first three wasn’t ideal, but the group stayed upbeat. We were confident in our ability and knew we just needed to bring it for a little bit longer," she said after the match.

Warriorz set the tone with a strong batting performance, led by Lanning herself, who struck a fluent 70 off 45 balls, an innings that also saw her become the first player to register 11 half-centuries in WPL history. After the early loss of opener Kiran Navgire for a duck, Lanning found a reliable partner in fellow Australian Phoebe Litchfield, with the duo stitching together a crucial 119-run stand.

Lanning praised the clarity in preparation that has helped the team deliver back-to-back wins against quality opposition. "We did a lot of planning. We spoke a lot about how we wanted to execute. They’ve got some pretty strong batters, so you need very clear plans against them. I think in the last two games, we’ve really nailed that planning process," she said.

She added that the off-field work has translated well into on-field results. "Then we came out into the game very clear about what we wanted to do. It’s been nice to have that work off the field transfer into execution on the field as well."

The UP skipper also highlighted her growing understanding with Litchfield at the crease, crediting the young batter for taking pressure off her with an attacking approach. "It’s nice batting with Phoebe Litchfield. We hit to different areas of the ground, and I think we complement each other really well. We’re starting to understand each other’s games too, so we can help each other out when needed. She took a lot of pressure off me with the strike rate she had," Lanning said.

Despite posting a competitive total, Lanning felt there was still room for improvement with the bat, particularly at the death. "I think we can finish off our batting innings a little bit better. I thought Mumbai bowled extremely well and took the pace right off. So it’s about adjusting to that and making sure we can finish strongly and carry momentum into the second innings," she noted.

UP Warriorz then backed up their batting effort with a disciplined bowling display, tightening the screws in key phases to restrict the Mumbai Indians and secure the win. The collective effort with the ball underlined the team’s improved execution, something Lanning believes will be crucial going forward.

“We’ve tightened up a few areas, but it’s a good thing that there’s still stuff we can improve on,” she said, stressing that the side is far from complacent.

With two wins on the trot, the Warriorz now head to Vadodara with renewed confidence and momentum. "To come out and play against a really good Mumbai side and get two wins on the trot gives us some really nice momentum heading into Vadodara now," Lanning concluded.

--IANS

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